atrophy
at·ro·phy [atrophy atrophies atrophied atrophying] noun, verb BrE [ˈætrəfi] NAmE [ˈætrəfi] noun uncountable (medical) the condition of losing flesh, muscle, strength, etc. in a part of the body because it does not have enough blood: (figurative, formal)The cultural life of the country will sink into atrophy unless more writers and artists emerge. Word Origin: late 16th cent.: from French atrophier (verb), atrophie (noun), from late Latin atrophia, from Greek, ‘lack of food’, from a- ‘without’ + trophē ‘food’. Derived Word: ↑atrophied verb (at·ro·phies, at·ro·phy·ing, at·ro·phied, at·ro·phied)intransitive if a part of the body atrophies, it becomes weak because it is not used or because it does not have enough blood: (figurative)Memory can atrophy through lack of use. Verb forms: Word Origin: late 16th cent.: from French atrophier (verb), atrophie (noun), from late Latin atrophia, from Greek, ‘lack of food’, from a- ‘without’ + trophē ‘food’.
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